President Bush Honors Military in Fourth of July Speech
United States Air Force Museum
Dayton, Ohio

12:13 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. Thanks for the warm
welcome. Be seated. (Laughter.) It's kind of a long speech.
(Laughter.) Thanks for coming. It's great to be in the great state of
Ohio. (Applause.) I am proud to be at Wright Patt, the birthplace,
the home and the future of aerospace. (Applause.)

I had the honor of meeting Amanda Wright Lane and Steve Wright,
descendants of the Wright brothers. They were quick to remind me that
Dayton is where the Wright brothers first drew up the plans for their
flying machine. I wonder what Wilbur and Orville would have thought if
they'd have seen that flying machine that I came in on today.
(Laughter and applause.)

I'm truly honored to join you in celebrating the 227th anniversary
of our nation's independence. (Applause.) The 4th of July, 2003,
finds our country facing many challenges. And we're rising to meet
them. (Applause.) Today, and every day, the people of this land are
grateful for our freedom, and we are proud to call ourselves citizens
of the United States of America. (Applause.)

I want to thank Governor Bob Taft and the First Lady of Ohio for
their friendship and their leadership for the state of Ohio. I
appreciate so very much my friends, Senator George Voinovich and
Senator Mike DeWine, for coming out greet with me today and to be her
with you all. They're great United States Senators. (Applause.) I
want to thank Congressman Michael Turner -- (applause) -- Congressman
David Hobson and Congressman John Boehner for their service to the
state of Ohio. (Applause.)

I was so honored that a great American, former Senator John Glenn,
and his wife, Annie, came out to say, hello at the airport, and I'm
honored they are here today. I want to thank them for coming.
(Applause.)

I appreciate members of the state government -- the Lieutenant
Governor Jeanette Bradley is with us today; Treasurer Joe Deters, and
Doug White, the Senate President. I want to thank the Mayor of the
City of Dayton, Mayor McLin, for coming today, as well, and all those
involved with city government.

I appreciate the generals on this base that make this fantastic
base function so well, starting with Less Lyles, the Commander.
(Applause.) I want to thank Brad Tillson, who is the Chairman of
Inventing Flight Commission, and John Barry, who is Chairman of the Air
Force Museum Foundation.

Today when I landed I had the opportunity to meet a fellow citizen
named Becky Lundy.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Yeah!

THE PRESIDENT: Somebody has heard of her. (Laughter.) Becky
Lundy is the spouse of a active duty Air Force member. What makes her
unique is she's a volunteer at the Family Support Center at Wright
Patterson Air Force Base. She takes time out of her day to comfort
those who need comfort. She understands that service to our country
means helping somebody in need.

Listen, we're a strong and powerful nation because we've got a
great military. But we're also strong, because we're a nation of fine
hearts. Those of you are looking for some way to serve your country,
go to usafreedomcorps.gov on your Internet. Look up a place to help a
neighbor in need. Join the armies of compassion, just as Becky Lundy
does. We are changing America one heart, one soul, one conscience at a
time, and we need your help. (Applause.)

But most of all, I want to thank you all for coming today. I
appreciate the families from this base and citizens from all across the
state of Ohio who have come to celebrate our Independence Day. During
the last year, people at this base have met hardships together. You
looked out for each other. You've given strength and support to our
men and women in uniform. Like military communities across the
country, you have played a vital part in our nation's cause, and
America is grateful. (Applause.)

Every year on this date, we take special pride in the founding
generation, the men and women who waged a desperate fight to overcome
tyranny and live in freedom. Centuries later, it is hard to imagine
the Revolutionary War coming out any way other than it -- how it came
out. Yet victory was far from certain, and came at great cost. Those
brave men and women were certain only of the cause they served: the
belief that freedom is the gift of God and the right of all mankind.
(Applause.)

Six years passed from the fighting at Concord Bridge to the victory
at Yorktown; six years of struggle and hardship for American patriots.
By their courage and perseverance, the colonies became a country. The
land of 13 states and fewer than four million people grew and
prospered. And today, all who live in tyranny and all who yearn for
freedom place their hopes in the United States of America. (Applause.)

For more than two centuries, Americans have been called to serve
and sacrifice for the ideals of our founding. And the men and women of
our military have never failed us. They have left many monuments along
the way -- an undivided union, a liberated Europe, the rise of
democracy in Asia, and the fall of an evil empire. Millions across the
world are free today because of the unselfish courage of American
veterans. And today we honor our veterans. (Applause.)

And today we honor the current generation of our military, which is
answering the call to defend our freedom and to bring freedom to
others. (Applause.) The 23,000 men and women of Wright Patt, military
and civilian, have been crucial to our victories in Afghanistan and in
Iraq. (Applause.)

Research done at this base has helped give America the finest Air
Force in history. (Applause.) The Predator drone, which is serving us
so well overseas, was developed right here. Doctors and specialists
from this base cared for wounded soldiers and for wounded prisoners.
Many critical medical evacuations were carried out by the skillful
pilots and crews of the mighty 445th Wing of Wright Patt. (Applause.)
C-141s from this base transported troops and equipment to serve in both
Operation Enduring Freedom and in Operation Iraqi Freedom. And B-1
bombers supported from this base made their presence known in Baghdad,
striking the dictator's regime until the regime was no more.
(Applause.)

Our United States military is meeting the threats of a new era.
People in ever branch of the service and thousands of Guard and reserve
members called to active duty have carried out their missions with all
the skill and the honor we expect of them. This nation is grateful to
the men and women who wear our nation's uniform. (Applause.)

And on this 4th of July, we also remember the brave Americans we
have lost. We honor each one for their courage and for their
sacrifice. We think of the families who miss them so much. And we are
thankful that this nation produces such fine men and women who are
willing to defend us all. May God rest their souls. (Applause.)

Our nation is still at war. The enemies of America plot against
us. And many of our fellow citizens are still serving and sacrificing
and facing danger in distant places. Many military families are
separated. Our people in uniform do not have easy duty, and much
depends on their success. Without America's active involvement in the
world, the ambitions of tyrants would go unopposed, and millions would
live at the mercy of terrorists. With Americans' active
involvement in the world, tyrants learn to fear, and terrorists are on
the run. (Applause.)

By killing innocent Americans, our enemies made their intentions
clear to us. And since that September day, we have made our own
intentions clear to them. (Applause.) The United States will not
stand by and wait for another attack, or trust in the restraint and
good intentions of evil men. (Applause.) We are on the offensive
against terrorists and all who support them. We will not permit any
terrorist group or outlaw regime to threaten us with weapons of mass
murder. We will act whenever it is necessary to protect the lives and
the liberty of the American people. (Applause.)

America's work in the world does not end with the removal of grave
threats. The Declaration of Independence holds a promise for all
mankind. Because Americans believe that freedom is unalienable right,
we value the freedom of every nation. Because we are committed to the
God-given worth of every life, we work for human dignity. We protect
our friends. And we raised up former enemies to be our friends.

We bring food and disaster relief to the nations of the world in
times of crisis. In Africa, where I'll go next week, the United States
is leading the effort to fight AIDS and save millions of lives with the
healing power of medicine. (Applause.)

Just as our enemies are coming to know the strong will of America,
people across the Earth are seeing the good and generous heart of
America. Americans are a generous people because we realize how much
we have been given. On the Fourth of July, we can be grateful for the
unity of our country in meeting great challenges, for the renewal of
patriotism that adversity has brought, and for the valor we have seen
in those who defend the United States.

In recent events -- (applause) -- in recent events, we have learned
the names of some exceptional young men and women who have shown the
strength and character of America. At a hospital in Washington, I met
Master Gunnery Sergeant Guadalupe Denogean, an immigrant from Mexico
who has served in the Marine Corps for 25 years. In March, he was
wounded in combat in Basra and sent back to America for treatment.
When I asked if he had any requests, the Master Gunnery Sergeant had
just two. He wanted a promotion for the Colonel who rescued him. And
he wanted to be an American citizen. (Applause.)

I was there the day that Guadalupe Denogean took the oath of
citizenship. From the hospital where he was recovering, this son of
Mexico raised his right hand and pledged to support and defend the
Constitution of the United States of America. He had kept --
(applause) -- he had kept that oath for decades before he took it. I'm
proud to call him a fellow America. (Applause).

To be an American, whether by birth or choice, is a high
privilege. (Applause.) As citizens of this good nation, we can all be
proud of our heritage and confident in our future. The ideals of July
4th, 1776, still speak to all humanity. And the revolution declared
that day goes on. On July the 4th, 2003, we still placed our trust in
Divine Providence. We still pledge our lives and honor to freedom's
defense. And we will always believe that freedom is the hope and the
future of every land.